Well, I've done some thinking in the last week or so about selling my Supra. Before anybody gets upset, let me explain the factors that are causing me to look into this possibility. This is going to be long so if you don't feel like reading it, then don't and don't leave posts asking for cliff notes.
The biggest thing is that I'm getting out of the military in October and moving back to SoCal, as many of you know. There are good and bad things about that. The bad is that I have a feeling that I won't be making as much money in the next couple years or so as I'm currently making. I'm serious, I make a lot more than many of you would think. The good side is that there is a master tech that I'd like to have work on my Supra in San Marcos, but I'm afraid that what I want to have done will cost too much money for me to handle.
The next thing is what I just touched on-it needs a lot of work. The issues/problems are as follows:
1. It has an electrical problem that has been driving me crazy, which is intermittent. This makes the car anything but driveable at times because I get a fuel cut at 1,600 RPM.
2. I suspect that I'm burning coolant little by little because the level drops slowly, though I have so signs of it burning from the look or smell of the exhaust. I'd like to have the head removed and have it and the block resurfaced and maybe even get a mild port job done.
3. Hawaii is hell on a car. I've got random spots of rust under the hood that are forming where metal body parts are mounted to each other. It had no rust before it came out here (CA car originally) and I'd like to have it professionally corrected because I'm not at all about half-assing shit anymore.
4. This isn't exactly a big deal, but I'd like to get it painted black, to include the engine bay. I don't have the resources, experience, time and patience to gut the engine bay and put it all back together once it's painted. Aside from that, I'd guess that a nice paint job is easily $1,500-2K.
5. My CT26 has bad oil seals. Yeah, I've got a SP61GT waiting (and waiting...) to go in, but again, I'd rather have a professional take care of it. Along with that, I'd need to have it tuned, which I don't understand enough to do myself. I would also want to buy a wideband kit to help, but that's not cheap.
6. A bunch of the components under my hood look like crap because of the elements they've been subjected to in HI. I would like to have them powdercoated. And yeah, that costs more money.
If this does materialize, then I'll still be very much involved with the Supra community, especially since there is such a large one in SoCal. My dad has an '89 turbo targa 5 sp. with 230K+ that is in extremely good condition. It's got a new (30K or so) shortblock and rebuilt head with a HKS 1.2mm MHG and ARP hardware. It would end up being our project to work on together and it's already mildly modified, thanks in-part to me. I'd take my Tein coilovers and Volk rims-at very least-off of my car and put them on his. I'll keep the rest of the parts that I've got just sitting, including my turbo, MAF-T, Aeromotive AFPR, Greddy guages and probably a few more things to put on it down the road.
The car I'd pick up for myself would be a '98-'00 Lexus GS400. I've always been a big fan of that body style and I've considered buying one in the past. I've realized that reliability and practicality have become a big part of what I look for in a car and I think that I could have a good combination of those in a GS400. Of course, practicality is sacrificed somewhat in exchange for 300 HP an 315 FT/LBS of torque. However, I think I'd be able to achieve 18-20 MPG with the help of the 5 sp. auto trans, which is good enough for me. Me being the way that I am, I'd want to at least upgrade the intake, exhaust and rims. Do Luck Double Sixes would be the route I'd take there. Those can wait, though.
So even though a Supra wouldn't be my daily driver, I would be more than happy driving a GS400. I really like the excellent blend of class and performance that the GS has and I think I could be happy driving one of those for several years to come.
I never thought that I'd sell my Supra, but I'm just getting tired of having to correct my own mistakes and thinking of how much it'll cost me to do so. With the help of friends, I've done all of my own modifications from the MHG to the easiest part. I've learned a great deal, with the biggest lesson being that you shouldn't do shit without the experience and resources needed to complete the job without having to cut corners.
Reality has set in and I've got to make the best decision with the information that I have at this point.
The biggest thing is that I'm getting out of the military in October and moving back to SoCal, as many of you know. There are good and bad things about that. The bad is that I have a feeling that I won't be making as much money in the next couple years or so as I'm currently making. I'm serious, I make a lot more than many of you would think. The good side is that there is a master tech that I'd like to have work on my Supra in San Marcos, but I'm afraid that what I want to have done will cost too much money for me to handle.
The next thing is what I just touched on-it needs a lot of work. The issues/problems are as follows:
1. It has an electrical problem that has been driving me crazy, which is intermittent. This makes the car anything but driveable at times because I get a fuel cut at 1,600 RPM.
2. I suspect that I'm burning coolant little by little because the level drops slowly, though I have so signs of it burning from the look or smell of the exhaust. I'd like to have the head removed and have it and the block resurfaced and maybe even get a mild port job done.
3. Hawaii is hell on a car. I've got random spots of rust under the hood that are forming where metal body parts are mounted to each other. It had no rust before it came out here (CA car originally) and I'd like to have it professionally corrected because I'm not at all about half-assing shit anymore.
4. This isn't exactly a big deal, but I'd like to get it painted black, to include the engine bay. I don't have the resources, experience, time and patience to gut the engine bay and put it all back together once it's painted. Aside from that, I'd guess that a nice paint job is easily $1,500-2K.
5. My CT26 has bad oil seals. Yeah, I've got a SP61GT waiting (and waiting...) to go in, but again, I'd rather have a professional take care of it. Along with that, I'd need to have it tuned, which I don't understand enough to do myself. I would also want to buy a wideband kit to help, but that's not cheap.
6. A bunch of the components under my hood look like crap because of the elements they've been subjected to in HI. I would like to have them powdercoated. And yeah, that costs more money.
If this does materialize, then I'll still be very much involved with the Supra community, especially since there is such a large one in SoCal. My dad has an '89 turbo targa 5 sp. with 230K+ that is in extremely good condition. It's got a new (30K or so) shortblock and rebuilt head with a HKS 1.2mm MHG and ARP hardware. It would end up being our project to work on together and it's already mildly modified, thanks in-part to me. I'd take my Tein coilovers and Volk rims-at very least-off of my car and put them on his. I'll keep the rest of the parts that I've got just sitting, including my turbo, MAF-T, Aeromotive AFPR, Greddy guages and probably a few more things to put on it down the road.
The car I'd pick up for myself would be a '98-'00 Lexus GS400. I've always been a big fan of that body style and I've considered buying one in the past. I've realized that reliability and practicality have become a big part of what I look for in a car and I think that I could have a good combination of those in a GS400. Of course, practicality is sacrificed somewhat in exchange for 300 HP an 315 FT/LBS of torque. However, I think I'd be able to achieve 18-20 MPG with the help of the 5 sp. auto trans, which is good enough for me. Me being the way that I am, I'd want to at least upgrade the intake, exhaust and rims. Do Luck Double Sixes would be the route I'd take there. Those can wait, though.
So even though a Supra wouldn't be my daily driver, I would be more than happy driving a GS400. I really like the excellent blend of class and performance that the GS has and I think I could be happy driving one of those for several years to come.
I never thought that I'd sell my Supra, but I'm just getting tired of having to correct my own mistakes and thinking of how much it'll cost me to do so. With the help of friends, I've done all of my own modifications from the MHG to the easiest part. I've learned a great deal, with the biggest lesson being that you shouldn't do shit without the experience and resources needed to complete the job without having to cut corners.
Reality has set in and I've got to make the best decision with the information that I have at this point.
